Having been “Kindeled” by an iPad, it was surprisingly entertaining to pick up a “real book.” Get too wrapped up in e-books and it’s easy to forget how satisfying it is to work your way though a paper book with as many great photos as “Derek Bell, My Racing Life.” Good reading, Bell having teamed with well-known motor racing writer, Alan Henry.
To many of us, Derek Bell has always been a hero. We remember the five wins at Le Mans in various Porsches, that same genuine smile from Bell as he waved from the winner’s stand at Daytona three times. So when you begin to read his autobiography it’s something of a surprise to read about the frustrations of his early open-wheel career. He was a team Formula 1 driver at Ferrari, McLaren, Surtees and the now-obscure Tecno with only one 1 driver’s championship point to show for it.
There’s also a poignant story early on about young Bell having tea with his heroes Jimmy Clark and Graham Hill the afternoon before Clark was killed at Hockenheim.
Then you cross over the threshold to Bell’s sports car career and quickly see this is what he was born to do…proving it with a sportscar championship titles in 1986-1987. Bell nicely details all those years, from the significant wins to the frustrations to the tragedies, the deaths of fellow drivers like Stefan Bellof and Jo Siffert.
So put down your e-book and get a copy of Derek Bell, My Racing Life (Haynes Publishing), even if you have to fire up your iPad and Google to get it.
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